Plans for a shooting park within range of DIA (2 letters)

What madness is this? Many times every day at Denver International Airport we hear recorded announcements warning of the need for vigilance to forestall terrorism. Every bag, backpack and shoe is scanned to reduce the threat of an attack. But now we are presented with the insane notion of a multimillion-dollar rifle range only 500 feet below a glide path. Thousands of air travelers will be totally vulnerable to a stray bullet, or to one deranged shooter with a grudge. No amount of earnest promises can guarantee it will never happen.

Such a proposal would be laughed out of town at LAX, O’Hare or JFK. It should be met with scorn and outrage by the Airline Pilots Association and the millions who land each year at DIA. Where are their voices?

Bill McLaughry, Centennial

This letter was published in the Sept. 30 edition. For information on how to send a letter to the editor, click here.

The people at DIA have no idea what goes on in the real world. They actually believe that a person setting out to do harm would think, “I’ll go down to the shooting range, where I will be surrounded by numerous law-abiding people with firearms, and shoot at some aircraft.”

In the real world, someone who is actually wanting to do harm would simply go out on one of the numerous roads, including the one that runs in front of where this facility would be built, shoot at aircraft, and then drive away unimpeded.
Jim Peel, Longmont

This letter was published in the Sept. 30 edition. For information on how to send a letter to the editor, click here.

I would agree with the idea that a shooting range so close to the flying paths of plans…..is not the most thought out idea in the world.

I would agree that an actual terrorist would probably not go to a shooting range to take shots at aircraft…..BECAUSE of the all the other shooters, guns, and bullets at the range….but that is actually an argument AGAINST the range.

And even the….mentally unstable….the career criminal….and others….actually DO PLAN to DIE….by “suicide by cop.”…..or “suicide by a dozen armed citizens at a a local shooting range” if they start aiming upwards and are actively firing at a jet.

But….just the thought of a stray shot or two….daily? weekly? monthly?….that may actually penetrate a jet’s body…..once a year?…..should be enough to make most thinking people want to AVOID The Denver Post from printing the Headline “137 die when plane crashes at DIA; pilot may have been shot by a stray bullet from nearby range.”

If there is a moment when a plane is MOST in jeopardy of a crash, it is during the moments around take-off and around landing……and THAT are the moments a shooting range so close to DIA…..with a stray shot now and then….could put planes and people in unnecessary jeopardy.

Anonymous

Excellent post there, Robtf777. Surely TSA and DHS would be swayed by those strong arguments.

Anonymous

I would agree with the idea that a shooting range so close to the flying paths of plans…..is not the most thought out idea in the world.

I would agree that an actual terrorist would probably not go to a shooting range to take shots at aircraft…..BECAUSE of the all the other shooters, guns, and bullets at the range….but that is actually an argument AGAINST the range.

And even the….mentally unstable….the career criminal….and others….actually DO PLAN to DIE….by “suicide by cop.”…..or “suicide by a dozen armed citizens at a a local shooting range” if they start aiming upwards and are actively firing at a jet.

But….just the thought of a stray shot or two….daily? weekly? monthly?….that may actually penetrate a jet’s body…..once a year?…..should be enough to make most thinking people want to AVOID The Denver Post from printing the Headline “137 die when plane crashes at DIA; pilot may have been shot by a stray bullet from nearby range.”

If there is a moment when a plane is MOST in jeopardy of a crash, it is during the moments around take-off and around landing……and THAT are the moments a shooting range so close to DIA…..with a stray shot now and then….could put planes and people in unnecessary jeopardy.

Anonymous

I would agree with the idea that a shooting range so close to the flying paths of plans…..is not the most thought out idea in the world.

I would agree that an actual terrorist would probably not go to a shooting range to take shots at aircraft…..BECAUSE of the all the other shooters, guns, and bullets at the range….but that is actually an argument AGAINST the range.

And even the….mentally unstable….the career criminal….and others….actually DO PLAN to DIE….by “suicide by cop.”…..or “suicide by a dozen armed citizens at a a local shooting range” if they start aiming upwards and are actively firing at a jet.

But….just the thought of a stray shot or two….daily? weekly? monthly?….that may actually penetrate a jet’s body…..once a year?…..should be enough to make most thinking people want to AVOID The Denver Post from printing the Headline “137 die when plane crashes at DIA; pilot may have been shot by a stray bullet from nearby range.”

If there is a moment when a plane is MOST in jeopardy of a crash, it is during the moments around take-off and around landing……and THAT are the moments a shooting range so close to DIA…..with a stray shot now and then….could put planes and people in unnecessary jeopardy.

And you just know that soon after a range went into operation folks using it would begin to complain that the airplanes are just too loud…… that they can hear them despite ear protection….. that it is disrupting their concentration….. that airplane landings and take offs should be changed. Just like the folks that buy houses beneath the flight paths of airports that have been there for years.

Kelcy

And you just know that soon after a range went into operation folks using it would begin to complain that the airplanes are just too loud…… that they can hear them despite ear protection….. that it is disrupting their concentration….. that airplane landings and take offs should be changed. Just like the folks that buy houses beneath the flight paths of airports that have been there for years.

Tuba_umphblat

What people don’t know is that there already is a shooting range (private) south of DIA under the approach path. Been there since before DIA. Unfortunately, Bill is a moron that doesn’t understand how hard it is to shoot a flying aircraft with anything other than a machine gun. Not to mention that a single rifle or pistol round would have little effect on the aircraft. Bill also doesn’t understand that anybody can go out on the country roads and watch aircraft take off and land, and be closer than the proposed shooting range. Bill also doesn’t know that it will be 20-30 years before aircraft will be flying over the proposed shooting range. Again, Bill is a moron.

Tuba_umphblat

What people don’t know is that there already is a shooting range (private) south of DIA under the approach path. Been there since before DIA. Unfortunately, Bill is a moron that doesn’t understand how hard it is to shoot a flying aircraft with anything other than a machine gun. Not to mention that a single rifle or pistol round would have little effect on the aircraft. Bill also doesn’t understand that anybody can go out on the country roads and watch aircraft take off and land, and be closer than the proposed shooting range. Bill also doesn’t know that it will be 20-30 years before aircraft will be flying over the proposed shooting range. Again, Bill is a moron.

Anonymous

Letter writer Bill McLaughry is right that a shooting range very near a major airport is madness. The proposal should have never gotten serious consideration. And it is therefore letter writer Jim Peel who is not living in the real world, but rather in an NRA confection where guns should be OK absolutely everywhere. Isn’t there enough land out east for a shooting range elsewhere? Anyone who’s flown in and out of DIA knows there is.

Anonymous

You are right, a shooting range very near an airport would be madness. Its a good thing that the airport itself is located within 50 square miles of fenced land. I guess it would be a good idea to find out more about the range before coming down on the decision.

Anonymous

Great thinking, Thor. Until you consider that (1) fifty square miles fits into a 7-mile square, (2) the ends of the runways approach the edge of the property by only a mile or two, (3) landing or departing planes fly at low altitude over the perimeter areas in question, (4) there are thousands of square miles at greater distance potentially available for the shooting range, (5) a nearby shooting range is hardly in keeping with the image that DIA wants to project when attracting potentially lucrative international flights by foreign carriers, and so on.

But good try there, Thor.

Anonymous

Thanks. So, you are saying that a 7 mile square is just a small piece of property? Like I said, find out more about the range before commenting.

now, to the reality of the issue. Just like the mosque at ground zero, it is probably less an issue of the right to build it and more an issue of the image Denver wants to project. also, if someone really wanted to shoot at a plane, they wouldn’t need a nearby shooting range. In fact, they would probably stay away from a range due to the fact that the overwhelming majority of those using the range are solid, law abiding citizens who would quickly subdue someone who was aiming anywhere but down range.

Anonymous

Letter writer Bill McLaughry is right that a shooting range very near a major airport is madness. The proposal should have never gotten serious consideration. And it is therefore letter writer Jim Peel who is not living in the real world, but rather in an NRA confection where guns should be OK absolutely everywhere. Isn’t there enough land out east for a shooting range elsewhere? Anyone who’s flown in and out of DIA knows there is.

Anonymous

You are right, a shooting range very near an airport would be madness. Its a good thing that the airport itself is located within 50 square miles of fenced land. I guess it would be a good idea to find out more about the range before coming down on the decision.

Anonymous

Great thinking, Thor. Until you consider that (1) fifty square miles fits into a 7-mile square, (2) the ends of the runways approach the edge of the property by only a mile or two, (3) landing or departing planes fly at low altitude over the perimeter areas in question, (4) there are thousands of square miles at greater distance potentially available for the shooting range, (5) a nearby shooting range is hardly in keeping with the image that DIA wants to project when attracting potentially lucrative international flights by foreign carriers, and so on.

But good try there, Thor.

Anonymous

Thanks. So, you are saying that a 7 mile square is just a small piece of property? Like I said, find out more about the range before commenting.

now, to the reality of the issue. Just like the mosque at ground zero, it is probably less an issue of the right to build it and more an issue of the image Denver wants to project. also, if someone really wanted to shoot at a plane, they wouldn’t need a nearby shooting range. In fact, they would probably stay away from a range due to the fact that the overwhelming majority of those using the range are solid, law abiding citizens who would quickly subdue someone who was aiming anywhere but down range.

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